Combined concentrator and amalgamator



- No. 750,706. PATBNTED JAN 26, 1904.

H; J. RUSSELL. COMBINED GONGENTRATOR AND AMALGAMATOR.

'APPLIOATION FILED OGT.18,1902. N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED JAN. 26. 1904.

4 31mm -S HEET 2.

I H. J. RUSSELL. COMBINED GONCENTRATOR AND AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 1a, 1902. NO MODEL.

PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1902.

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H0 MODEL.

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R W Z a/Z a W No. 750,706. PATENTED JAN. 26*, 1904.

I H. J. RUSSELL. v COMBINED GONGENTRATDR AND AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001218, 1902.

NO MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

an'uudoz @Vihwoaeo Mid attoxnelq UNITED STATES Patented January 26, 1904.

HIRAM J. RUSSELL, OF CRESCENT MILLS, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED CONCENTRATOR AND AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,706, dated January 26, 1904.

Application filed October 18, 1902. Serial No. 127,884. (No model.)

To a whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM J. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crescent Mills,in the county of Plumas and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Concentrator and Amalgamator; and I do declare'thc following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to combined concentrators and amalgamators, and has for its object the production of improved devices consisting of riifles, revolving catchers for the particles of value, current-splitters or dividing-blocks, screens, and invertible tables constructed and arranged to catch and retain heavy particles of free gold or of any ore relatively heavy with gold as the refuse material, sand, gravel, and dirt is carried along by flowing water.

hen my invention is intended to be operated in connection with a stamp-mill, the tailings from the mill are shoveled or directed in any economical way into the sluice-box situated at the head or highest point of my invention.

I accomplish the objects stated by means of the mechanical parts and their association illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a plan view from the sluice box or tank into which the material is first placed or directed to the screens at a lower point which receive the material after it has passed and has been in contact with the riffles and revolving catchers and current-splitters. Fig. 2 represents a side view of my invention, partly sectional, equal in extent with Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a side view, partly in section, of the amalgamators, feed-box, and invertible tables and shows the tables longwise; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the tables, illustrating the manner in which they may be turned over, and in both Figs. 3 and 4 the tank or receptacle is shown which finally receives the of the water.

concentrated material. Fig. 5 shows the form preferred for the riflies. Fig. 6 is a crosssection of one of the revolving catchers for particles rich in mineral; and Fig. 7 is an end view of the triangular or wedge-shaped ourrent-splitter, a stationary catcher for the parthe receiving sluice-box at the head and highest point of my invention. It may be made of heavy planks in any chosen manner. The material can be shoveled into it or dumped into it from wagons or washed into it from a sluiceway of any extent. The power neces sary to run the apparatus is merely the flow From the receiving-box 1 the material is carried by flowing water to the rifiles 2, placed in sets of any number on the bottom of the race or flurne 3. Each riflle inclines in the direction of the flow and is grooved lengthwise on its face. In Fig. 5 these grooves are marked '4. Each groove forms a pocket to collect the heavy gold particles gravitating into it from the flow. Sometimes I tack strips of sheepskin or any material having a long nap in the grooves L and the valuable grains orflakes are often more abundantly caught in this way. As stated, the riflies are in sets and have their ends let into side bars 5,

which enables any set to be removed and cleaned. I do not limit myself to the number of rifHes in all or in each set or with regard to their size. All particles which can be saved by gravitation are taken by the riflies. Next, to save the lighter flakes or flour-gold practically carried suspended in the water or slime I provide across the flume revolving catchers 6, consisting ordinarily of long square pieces of wood having sheepskins 7, secured with the wool outwardly at the corners. At the ends of the wooden bars cylindrical irons 8 project centrally, and these irons or journals enter suitable holes9 in uprights 10, erected upon the floor of flume 3 at the sides. Each upright 10 has a vertical series of holes 9, and the catcher can be'supported higher or lower, as indicated, depending upon the depth of the flow. It will now be understood that catchers 6 are revoluble, and this revolution is caused by the flow in the fiume. The skins 7 dip down into the flow as they turn, and as they rise the particles collected sink more deeply into the wool and are not dislodged by the continued rotation. This is especiallythe case with small particles of relatively considerable specific gravity, such as free gold or heavy ore particles.

Between every two revolving catchers 6, usually placed two feet apart, I locate a device that 1 term a currenksplitter. It consists of a triangular woodenbar' of substantially the same length as catchers 6 or the width of flume 3. Each face of the bar is covered with sheepskin 12. and each end of the bar is provided with an inclined rectangular lug 13. The current-splitters are situated somewhat lower in the flume than catchers 6, and they are supported in a stationary position by the standards 14, erected upon the bottom and on opposite sides of the flume in the same manner as uprights 10. Each standard 14 is provided with a series of downwardly-extending notches 15, which have sufficient size and depth to receive the end lugs 13 of the current-splitter bar 11. By these contrivances the triangular bar 11 of the current-splitter is held stationary against the flow at greater or less depth, depending upon which notches are used, and its edge 16 is presented toward and divides or splits the flow, and the skins 12 catch any floating particles in the wool Which may have escaped or dropped from the revolving catchers. When the revolving catchers and current-splitters are reached at a point about two hundred feet down the flume, the heavy material and dirt drags close to the bottom. I use about fifty feet of this system of revolving catchers and current-splitters, and about all the float matter is thus caught up. As will be readily understood, both the catchers and the splitters may be easily removed and cleaned of valuable particles when necessary.

When the flow has passed the catchers and splitters, it falls into and spreads over a series of screens 17 varying in number and in character. The screens remove all particles above a predetermined size, and the sifted flow is caught in a galvanized-iron chute 18, having a spout 19, by which the flow is directed.

On leaving the spout 19 the flow is received in a succession of amalgamators 20, one slightly lower than the other. and through the mercury any free or rusty gold particles will become amalgamated and sink to the bottom. It has been my practice to construct the amalgamators of sticks of timber cut into prismatic triangular shape (shown in Fig. 3) and to hollow out the timber, leaving pockets 21, as illustrated, containing the mercury 22. From the amalgamators As the flow passes over 20 the flow, now screened of its larger lumps, is delivered into the feed-box 23. The feedbox is usually made of strong planking suitably supported, and it may be of any size and depth desired. It has a mouth 24 or a number of mouths each closed by a gate 25 and further providedwith a spout 26, overhanging the invertible tables 27, on which the flow descends.

The invertible tables are double-that is to say, there are two sides of each, marked 28 and 29, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) covered with Brussels carpet 29 or some fabric with long nap. The tables are pivotally supported at their ends by the bolts 30, that turn in bearings 31 and 32, secured in posts 33, standing at the sides of the concentrates-tank 34. Any number and capacity of tables may be employed. Ordinarily the tables are arranged in pairs, and they are so placed that when the tank 34 contains the required depth of water the lower or undermost carpet-covered side is beneath the water-surface. hen the top of a table 27 is covered with material from the feed-box, the feed is shut off and a stream of clear water from any source and by means, for example, of nozzle 35 is run over the table for a few minutes. It will be noted here that, as

shown in Fig. 3, the right-hand end of the table fits closely at the bottom against the in-.

ner side of tank 34 and that the uppermost top of the table is some distance above the upper edge 36 of the wall of tank 34, high enough, in fact, to permit the rapidly-moving stream of clear water to shoot over the edge 36. All the dirt will thus be washed ofi the table and fall upon the ground beyond the tank 34, while all the metal particles stick to the carpet. Finally an attendant inverts the table, thus bringing the carpet loaded with metal into the water of tank 34, where it soaks off and collects in the tank.

In Fig. 1, the plan view, it will be observed that the flume is double and that the receiving-box 1 has a swinging gate 37, by which the material can be directed into either channel of the flume. When the rifles in either side are well filled with valuable particles, the gate 37 is turned to direct the flow down the other side, making the operation continuous and permitting the rifles to be removed on one side at a time. A stream of clear water may also be sent down the side from which the rifles have been taken to clear it of any accumulated matter. The rifles themselves are washed out either upon the regular invertible tables at the end of the flume or a special set of invertible tables of the same construction may be provided for the purpose.

When tank 34 is filled with concentrates to an extent that interferes with the upsetting of the tables, the bolts 30 are removed and the tables taken out in order that the concentrates may be shoveled from the tank.

Attention is also called to the fact that when the materials spread out upon the carpet-covered tables any foreign particles Without value are readily detected and picked out by an experienced attendant. In this manner the material ultimately reaching the tank 34 is in a high state of concentration and value.

I do not confine myself to the precise shape or relative size of any element described.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a concentrator, the combination of the flume, riffles arranged transversely on the floor of the flume, revolving catchers rotatively supported in the flume and adapted to be rotated by the flow in the flume, screens placed at the lower end of the flume and arranged to receive the discharge from the flume, a chute situated beneath the said screens, a feed-box supported near the said chute, and means whereby the flow is conducted from the chute to the said feed-box, pivoted tables arranged to receive the flow from the feed-box, the said tables having surfaces covered with woolly fabric, and a concentrates-tank beneath the tables.

2. In a combined concentrator and amalgamator, the combination of a flume, rifiles, revolving catchers in the flume, screens placed at the end of the flume, a chute beneath the screens, amalgamators arranged to receive the flow from the said chute, a feed-box beneath the amalgamators, pivoted tables having woolly fabric surfaces disposed and adapted to receive the flow from said feed-box, and a concentrates-tank.

3. In a concentrator, the combination with a flume, of revolving catchers in said flume transversely disposed and each of said catchers comprising a central or body part provided at intervals with separate projecting portions of woolly material extending lengthwise of the body of the catcher, and supporting devices constructed and arranged to hold said catchers rotatively within and across said flume at different heights whereby said catchers are revolved by the flow in the flume acting against said projecting portions of woolly material successively in their lowest positions, said woolly portions being thereby alternately dipped into the flow Without touching the flume-bottom and lifted out of the flow.

4. In a concentrator, the combination of a flume, and current-splitters each comprising a body of wedge-shaped or triangular crosssection arranged transversely in the flume,

one edge of the said triangular body being presented against the flow in the flume whereby the said flow is split and part of it caused to pass beneath the current-splitter and part compelled to move upwardly over the inclined face of said triangular body, the faces of the said triangular body being provided with woolly material to catch the gold particles, and devices constructed and arranged to hold the said current-splitters stationary at different heights in the flume.

5. In a concentrator, the combination in a flume, of revolving catchers consisting of rotatively-supported bodies provided with projecting portions of woolly material separated from each other, means for supporting said bodies transversely in the flume at different heights whereby the said projecting woolly portions are dipped into the flow in the flume and the said catchers caused to revolve by the movement of the flow, Wedge-shaped current-splitters arranged transversely in the'flume and having edges presented to the flow splitting the flow and causing part to pass under and part over the current-splitters, the faces of said current-splitters being covered with woolly material, and means for holding said currentsplitters stationary at different heights, one of said current-splitters being placed after each revolving catcher.

6. In a concentrator, the combination with a flume, of removable sets of riflies within the flume, each rifile comprising a board or plate transversely disposed and set up on edge in the flume presenting one fiat side orface against the flow in the flume, and each riffle having a plurality of lengthwise grooves in its said face, one or more of said grooves being provided with woolly material secured therein.

7. In a concentrator and amalgamator, the combination of a flume, riflies in the flume, revolving catchers and current-splitters constructed as described and arranged in said flume, screens at the end of the flume, a chute beneath the screens, an amalgamator receiving from the chute, a feed-box beneath the amalgamators, invertible tables covered with woolly fabric receiving from the feed-box, ailid a concentrates-tank beneath the said tab es.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HIRAM J. RUSSELL. Witnesses:

JOHN A. HARDGRAVE, F. BROWN. 

